New Delhi: In yet another round of confrontation between Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor, the AAP government on Wedenesday accused Najeeb Jung of "pressurising" Home Minister Satyendar Jain to grant parole to INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala, serving a decade-long jail term in teachers' recruitment scam case.
Reacting to the accusation of Kejriwal government, the LG Secretariat said "Lt Governor rejected parole prayer of Chautala on October 5 as there should be a gap of minimum six months from the date of termination of last parole."
The LG office said no further application for parole from former Haryana Chief Minister has been received at the Lt Governor's Secretariat. A senior government official alleged that Jung recently had summoned Jain and allegedly "pressurised" him to expedite Chautala's parole plea or grant him permission to be shifted to a Punjab jail.
The Chief Minister has sent a two-page file noting on Chautala's file expressing displeasure over LG's alleged pressure on his minister and said he strongly oppose parole to the former Haryana CM.
"The CM has sought a list of other convicts from the Home Department, who were similarly placed, given parole earlier," an official said.
In his file noting to Jung, Kejriwal asked Lt Governor when judge did not show any leniency on age, why is he showing?.
"LG says the convict has been national president of a political party for five years. Everyone is equal before law," Kejriwal said.
Refuting government's allegations, LG Secretariat on Wednesday issued a statement stating that the LG had rejected parole prayer of Chautala on October 5 as there should be a gap of minimum six months from the date of termination of last parole.
"Om Prakash Chautala had requested for parole for medical treatment. The Principal Secretary (Home) and Minister (Home), did not recommend the parole on the ground that convict had last availed one month parole w.e.f. April 4, 2015 to May 5, 2015 and further extended upto May 28, 2015 and he surrendered on June 3, 2015," LG office said in the statement.
It is further clarified, that based on the facts on file submitted by the Home Department, the right to grant or reject parole lies with the Administrator i.e. Lt. Governor of Delhi, it also added.
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